Neurocutaneous Syndromes and the Neural Crest

The role of the neural crest as an inducer of neurocutaneous syndromes and associated craniofacial abnormalities is proposed by researchers at the University of Calgary and Alberta Children’s Hospital, AB, Canada. Abnormal neural crest differentiation results in the diverse features of these syndromes, including holoprosencephaly, anencephaly, facial hypoplasias, and hypertelorism associated with ACC. The classification of neurocristopathies should be expanded to include neurocutaneous syndromes other than neurofibromatosis, facilitating the identification of genetic mutations and interrelations with embryonic neural crest. [1]